1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of integrated desktop telecommunications. In particular, this invention relates to a way in which applications, data communications, and public switched telephone network (PSTN) voice calls can all be integrated together in a desktop computer system.
2. Description of the Problem Solved
Presently, voice telecommunications and data telecommunications are largely separate to most computer users. A desktop computer user can run an application which includes integrated multimedia communications, however, if the user wishes to initiate a voice communication, the user must use a separate PSTN telephone line. Alternatively, the user can make use of a data communications system which includes voice capability, where the voice communications path is terminated by the user's personal computer. Such a system however, makes use of some type of voice-data conversion, such as voice-over-lnternet-protocol, resulting in lower quality voice communications than is typical of the PSTN. Additionally, typical multimedia telecommunication applications do not allow for close integration with other desktop applications such as office suites, presentation software, word processing software and the like.
A typical multimedia telecommunications platform is specified in H.323, a well-known standard of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Application programs such as Microsoft Netmeeting.TM. allow the integration of voice communications together with multimedia telecommunications, however, the quality of the voice connection is poor. A high-quality voice connection can be made through the PSTN, however, this connection must usually be manually initiated. Additionally such a connection does not allow for close integration of the voice communications with the multimedia data communications. Products such as Voice Button.RTM., marketed by the assignee of the present application, allow a PSTN call to be initiated from the computer user interface, however the call is not closely integrated with any sort of data communications system and does not allow application sharing. Additionally, such a call cannot be initiated from within desktop computer application suites. A description of a way a phone call can be initiated from the computer desktop can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/948,975, entitled, "Method and Apparatus for Originating Voice Calls from a Data Network," Filed Oct. 10, 1997, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference.
What is needed is a way to provide integration between data and high-quality PSTN voice. Such a system should not only result in automated PSTN voice call origination through the public network, but also provide for the integration of voice and data communication components into common desktop computer application suites. The system should allow users to initiate a call having both voice and data components from within typical desktop applications and from within a generic operating system user interface. The system should also not require any specialized customer premises equipment (CPE).